Lek revelled in the challenge of entering the track from above. He loved to fly down the narrow passage and feel his wings skimming the sides as he descended. Today was no different. He climbed almost to the lofty ceiling before dipping down as straight as an arrow into the slender gap.

Halfway down, Lek pulled himself up and settled on a wide ledge. A flicker at the bottom had caught his eye. At first, he thought it was Jayla and his heart sank that she had followed him. She would never have reached the entrance on foot as fast as he had flown, the climb was too steep. Lek peered down, allowing his gaze to focus on the form below him.

A shock of white-blonde hair and long legs curled into a sitting position caught Lek’s attention but what stood out most was the attire. None in Mysticia wore such garb. On her feet were huge boots made of shiny material and her legs had fabric clinging to them enhancing their shape. The oversized top hid her body from view so Lek could not see how her wings fitted.

She has no wings. He saw no bump in her clothing.

“Human,” he whispered. “How did she get here?” His gaze drank her in as she struggled to her feet and ran her hands over the smooth rock face.

“The door.” His pulse leapt excitedly in his chest as the revelation hit him. “It’s open!”

Without thinking, Lek swooped down to the small space that his kind called Deadspot. He ignored the shriek from the female as his burly form forced her out of the way and further down the path. With frenzied actions, Lek ran his hands over the rock, desperately seeking the door that had eluded him so long.

“Where are you?” he asked the dormant stone over and over.

“You are wasting your time,” a quiet voice broke through his mantra. “It’s gone.”

Sadness tinged her tone. Lek turned angrily on her, ignoring the sorrowful lilt.

“What did you do? How did you get here? Open the door!”

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the rock, forcing her hands to touch the rock. “Open it! Now!”

“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me!” the human clipped out each word as she pulled her arms free of Lek’s grasp.

She stepped away and glared into his eyes, sparks flying from her own.

Lek looked down on the feisty female and his mouth quirked into a smile. He had never seen a human before but something about her seemed so familiar. Her cropped hair framed her face and pale blue eyes were fixed on him. Beneath the ridiculously large garment she wore, her chest heaved up and down displaying her anger. Despite the many questions that bombarded his mind, Lek couldn’t help but wonder what her body would look like under the thick fabric. His hands itched to pull her free from it and see for himself. No sign of wings, Lek wanted to trace the smooth contours of her back. His body hardened with desire as his thoughts lingered on the pleasures he would share with this human.

“Welcome to Mysticia. I am Lek,” he drawled, his eyes taking in her form from head to toe.

“Don’t welcome me!” she shrieked. “Send me back home.”

Lek frowned. “You didn’t come here on purpose?” he asked puzzled. “You must have the key.”

“What key?” The female was scarcely containing her anger and Lek was deeply aroused by her passionate fury.

Lek lowered his voice, intimately leaning in to allow the female to hear him. “May I first have your name?” he asked huskily. “I would like to address you as something.”

“Freya,” she replied, her eyes resting on his mouth as he spoke in dulcet tones.

Lek sensed the spark of interest that leapt in her pulse and her eyes simultaneously. He knew when a female was attracted to him and he fought the urge to capture her lips in his own and possess them fully.

He drew in a ragged breath. “Freya, it is a name of beauty. The door between our worlds is locked. A powerful spell incarcerated my people to dwell below the earth. No force can open the door yet here you stand. You must either have the key or wield magic beyond that of the Queen of the Fae herself. Which is it?”